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We all have times when people get on
our nerves, and there are probably some people you can only take in
small doses. Some people seem to always make us feel bad about
ourselves, and you can be angry and upset after every encounter with
them. Believe it or not, there is a such thing as a 'toxic person'.
But how can you tell if someone is truly toxic, as opposed to
just annoying? How do we deal with them?

Examples of toxic people are those who:

constantly complain

talk about others behind their
backs

put others down

seem to enjoy taking things out on
other people

find fault in everything you say
and do

constantly stick their nose where
it doesn't belong

Take advantage of you but never
give anything in return and make you feel guilty for saying 'no' to
them

One thing that is 'tricky' about toxic
people is that they're often not entirely 'bad' people. A
person could be toxic in some situations, but not others. I have a
friend who is the first one to jump in if you ever need help, but she
comes across as very negative. She does complain a lot and
sounds like she's criticizing when she's not, but that's mostly
because of the tone of voice she uses without even knowing she's
using it. Part of dealing with toxic people is knowing what to take
to heart and what to just ignore. Here are a few other ways to deal
with them:

Limit your contact with them
whenever possible. If you can't completely avoid them, try to avoid
getting into situations with them that may bring about the
toxic behavior.

Set firm boundaries. If they tend
to take advantage of you, make it clear what you are and are not
willing to do for them. If they are meddlers, make it clear what is
and is not their business. If they are complainers or gossips, make
it clear that you do not want to 'participate'. If they try to lay a
'guilt trip' on you, remember that you have every right to say 'no'
to something you don't want to do.

If they direct their gossip or ire
against you, don't bother to defend yourself or argue with them.
Basically, don't play their game.

As I said above, identify what the
toxic behavior is and tune it out. Change the subject, leave the
room or find something else to focus on.

If there are positive things about
this person, try to remember those things.

Above all, take care of yourself.
If being around this person or behavior is taxing your mental
health, don't feel guilty about walking away.

Hopefully I've given good advice that
can help you deal with the toxic people in your life. Overall, you
cannot change another person's behavior or thought patterns. You can,
however, change your own so that you can better deal with them.